It's Gonna Be Me
by The Hidden One
Summary: Jesse finally returns to McKinley after his spring break trip to San Diego. Rachel has a plan to win his forgiveness but what will Jesse's response be? What happens when Jesse finds out about Finn singing to Rachel? Post Laryngitis. St. Berry
1. Without You

Disclaimer: I do not claim to own anything of Glee or Rent.

* * *

It was the day Jesse _finally_ came back to her after spending spring break out in San Diego with some friends from Vocal Adrenaline. Due to the trip, Rachel hadn't been able to see him for days. Even though he hadn't been talking to her after the whole 'Run, Joey, Run' stunt, she had at least been able to see him. Then he left…but none of that mattered now, because now he was back and she had a plan to make him forgive her. Of course, this plan included a song that not only showcased her amazing talent, but also so sincerely expressed her regret over her actions that he would take her back the moment she finished belting out the last note.

As Rachel walked into school this morning, her smile was at its brightest. Her 'Get-Jesse-Back-ASAP' plan was already going perfectly. There was a minor mishap in which her hair did not cooperate with her detailed timetable and cut into her appointed makeup applying time, but in the end she handled the setback like a star. Her outfit still expressed her vivacious personality but was subdued to reflect her current heartbreak status (this had taken a significant number of hours of thought to accomplish). She even prepared a suitable second outfit just in case there was a slushie mishap. The only variable in her plan was Jesse himself. Would he show up to school today or take another day off? Would he skip Glee practice to catch up on all the homework? Would he be able to fully understand her complete and utter regret at putting her popularity above their relationship? Would he forgive her? These were absolutely essential pieces to her plan that unfortunately she just had to accept as variables and move forward with her plan anyway.

Fortunately her alternate option was a third outfit (it definitely wasn't on the same level as the first two, but sacrifices must be made) to attempt the plan tomorrow if Jesse, for some reason, did not appear at Glee rehearsal today. Of course, that didn't take care of all the variables, but most of her other doubts came from Jesse reactions to the plan. Those reactions she could only imagine and attempt to create facial expressions that contained her strength and independence as a woman while also furthering her cause to fix her relationship with Jesse. Those were last resorts, though. Her talent and emotion will surely see her through this situation.

Rachel found her way through the hallways to her locker. As she's putting her books away, she multitasks and scans the hallway for any signs of the one and only Jesse St. James.

Unfortunately, she only sees Finn, and she looks away before they can make eye contact.

In a way, she hated that his timing sucked and he could only appreciate her and their relationship until after they had ended it. Then again, his lack of insight gave her an opening to start dating Jesse St. James, and that was something she couldn't complain about. The song he sang in Glee practice the other day though, 'Jessie's Girl,' was quite irritating, especially since she wasn't sure if she _was_ Jesse's girl anymore. Hopefully by the end of practice today, her relationship status with Jesse would be resolved, and she would be Jesse's girl again. Finn's pining for her certainly wasn't helping his case any; although in a way she did like the attention…

She just wished it came from a certain St. James instead.

Rachel made her way to first period class, still scanning for Jesse. He wasn't necessarily still _avoiding_ her – their schedules didn't mesh well and since they definitely weren't at a point where they sought each other out anymore, she rarely saw him until Glee rehearsal anyway.

Her fears that he didn't show up for the school day were put to rest when she saw him at lunch. She actually stopped and stared for a few seconds at his gorgeousness (he wasn't looking, of course!) until someone bumped into her and she realized what she was doing. She was helpless without him…

Okay, so she wasn't exactly helpless. It wasn't like she fell apart at the seams after the 'incident,' she was a strong, independent star who trained her talent diligently to reach her dreams all on her own. But she still missed him – a lot.

She missed his smile, his laugh, and his eyes. She missed his opinions and his comments. She missed hugging him and kissing him. She missed how he would carry her books or distract her from all the negative comments in the hallway. She missed both his support and his criticisms of her performances. She missed knowing he was thinking about her. She missed how he always kept name-brand towels in his locker for when either of them got slushie facials. She missed his voice, especially when it harmonized with her own. She simply missed _being_ with him.

However, she had to stick to the plan. She couldn't approach him too early or else everything would be ruined! Quickly, Rachel sat down at a table with some Glee friends (thankfully not Finn), avoiding even looking at the spot in the cafeteria where she knew Jesse was. Glee practice was the time to make her move, and until then, she'd have to be patient.

"So Rachel, I see Jesse's back," came the comment from, surprisingly, Quinn. Since when did _she_ initiate conversations with _her_? However, her dads always told her to be polite to everyone, even when they're probably just after something from you – as Quinn probably was.

"Oh, um…yes, I guess so," Rachel replied. She congratulated herself on a stellar nonchalant response. No need to give the plan away, after all. She'd execute this entirely by herself. She was already on the way to Hollywood with her excellent acting skills and ambitions!

"I'm surprised he's back. I figured his friends from Vocal Adrenaline would've forced him back to where he belongs by now," Santana quipped, who was sitting besides Quinn.

Rachel's heart stopped for a beat. After all, this was one of the possibilities that went through her head during his absence. Since he transferred for her, and then she made a grievous error, would he transfer back? Would she be allowed to even attempt a second chance? Would they go back to being rivals and any chance at a relationships vetoed by their respective Glee Clubs?

"Well, he's come back so clearly that wasn't the case," Rachel said as calmly as she could manage with all the thoughts that were running through her head. She took a small bite of her homemade sandwich (she couldn't chance eating who-knows-what-it-is food from the school on such an important day), and just took a very swift glance over at Jesse's seat a few tables away to assure herself he was still there.

He was still there, but unfortunately, not looking at her.

"Well I for one haven't missed him. I still think he's a spy for Vocal Adrenaline," Mercedes said before bravely taking a bite of the cafeteria food.

Well _that_ got her angry. She needed to focus on her plan, not prove Jesse's innocence _again_.

"Jesse isn't a spy! Everything is completely legitimate with his transfer and he hasn't been anything but courteous to absolutely everyone, despite all your comments. Jesse is just as much a part of New Directions as you and I are, Mercedes. Besides, Jesse has remarkable talent. He doesn't _need_ to spy, so I'd appreciate it if you placed some faith in him," Rachel retorted before gathering what was still a majority of the lunch she packed and storming away from the cafeteria, completely ignoring the group rolling their eyes at her dramatics.

Seriously! Some people just despised stars for the talents, especially Jesse and her. They simply couldn't understand that the only way to stardom was to train your own skills. You didn't need to spy or hurt others to get what you deserved. She would go eat lunch in the choir room where she didn't need to defend Jesse. She simply can't handle that on today of all days.

It wasn't until after she finished her lunch in the empty choir room that her nerves started to kick in. There simply wasn't much time left until Glee practice, until it was time for her performance of a lifetime (okay, so she might be exaggerating on that part). Don't get her wrong, she rarely got nervous for productions anymore – but somehow singing her heartbreak out to Jesse, with or without an audience, added just enough pressure to make her anxious.

Her afternoon classes dragged by as she could only stare at the clock as the minutes ticked by. Really, was the history of Russia so important that she couldn't just fast-forward her day until Glee? It was a good thing she wasn't _quite_ so impatient for Glee practice every day or else her grades would not be at their current impeccable standing.

Finally, the bell rang signaling the end of the last class period and school day. Rachel quickly gathered her things together and darted for the hallway. Taking deep breaths, she tried to calm herself down for her impending performance. Then she looked up and saw Jesse coming her way (well, he wasn't exactly coming _her_ way – he simply walking from his last class to his locker).

Her breath caught in her throat as they made eye contact.

But before she could smile, before she could speak, before she could do anything but realize what was happening, he broke the eye contact and walked by her without saying or doing anything. Her shoulders slumped in disappointment. It didn't seem like he had missed her at all during his absence. Did her plan even have a chance against such insurmountable odds?

She took a deep breath to restore her confidence before raising her head high. Of course she still had a chance! She was Rachel Berry, and after her spectacular, award winning performance, a certain Jesse St. James was going to have no choice but to reconcile their relationship.

She hoped.

Anyway, it was time for her performance. Soon enough, she would either succeed with all of her planning or fail despite it all. At least the slushie avoidance stage had shown success – there was a close call after second period, but she employed heroic ballerina moves to avoid being the target. Unfortunately that meant a poor pep band member simply didn't have a chance.

Rachel weaved her way through all of the students hurrying out of the school to her locker. After dropping her books off, she made her way to the choir room with all of her anxiety balled up in her stomach. Outwardly, she displayed all of the confidence typical of her, but inside, she was trying her best to tamper down her emotions. She just needed to sing her heart out to Jesse already!

With one more deep breath, she entered the choir room. Right away, she noticed that Jesse wasn't there yet. She took a seat (away from Finn who was listening to his ipod and watching her) and was content to simply listen in on Kurt and Mercedes' conversation about skinny jeans while she fiddled with the hem of her skirt. Seconds seemed to take forever as the rest of the club trickled in.

The knot in her stomach eased a little as Jesse walked in a few seconds after Brittany and Santana. He didn't look at her, but her eyes followed him all the way to the seat he chose - a seat that was in front of her, but a couple seats to the right. Well, she didn't exactly expect him to sit next to her anymore, and on the bright side at least now she could look at him throughout rehearsal.

Soon after, Mr. Schuester walked in the room and prevented Rachel from debating the possibility of saying anything to Jesse beforehand. She was a bit thankful – she didn't have to decide if she _was_ going to say something, and then, if she decided to speak, what would she say? It was bit of dilemma, and fortunately, now she didn't have to decide. That and his disregard in the hallway didn't give her quite enough confidence to start a conversation.

"Alright guys, let's get started," Mr. Schuester said as the club quit their conversations and put ipods away. Rachel tensed. "I thought we'd begin with-"

"Mr. Schuester?" Rachel interrupted him, her hand straight in the air.

She detected a small sigh that she decidedly ignored before he replied, "Yes, Rachel?"

"I was hoping that since I did not get an adequate chance to express myself on the previous assignment due to my horrible, career-threatening medical illness," she decided to hopefully spike some sympathy from Jesse, "that today I would be able to share my soul with my fellow Glee club members," especially Jesse, she concluded in her head.

Mr. Schuester's reluctance was easily seen on his face when she finished. "I don't know if we have time for that, Rachel," he said after a few seconds of pause. "It might be better if we – "

"Mr. Schuester, please. Everyone else was afforded this grand opportunity and I completely abhor that the only impression I was able to give was an unspeakable rendition," Rachel debated. If he didn't let her sing, her whole plan would be for naught!

This time, a more audible sigh from Mr. Schuester was heard by the entire room. She also guessed that the majority of the Glee members were rolling their eyes at her as well. Once again, Rachel ignored the implications of it.

"Alright, Rachel. Show us what you have," Mr. Schuester said, caving in. It would waste less time if he simply let her have her song now than debate throughout the rest of the rehearsal period.

"Thank you, Mr. Schuester. I appreciate the opportunity," Rachel said with a large smile and just a tinsy bit of gloating.

She made her way to the front of the room and faced her peers. She avoided looking at Jesse at this moment in time, though, to prevent any flux of emotions before beginning her song. Instead she smoothed her skirt down.

"The Climb?" Mr. Schuester asked as he took a seat.

"No. I decided that the song no longer accurately reflected myself and chose a different selection," Rachel said evenly. Her eyes accidently found Finn's, and he looked partly confused, partly anxious, and partly hopeful. She immediately looked away.

She had already given the band the sheet music a while before, so that they could perform at their absolute best. She definitely didn't want any mistakes. The music needed to adequately support her voice so that Jesse would get the full effect of the song's (and her) emotions.

The music then started softly, and Rachel took a deep breath from the diaphragm to begin.

_Without you_

_The ground thaws_

_The rain falls_

_The grass grows_

As she started singing, the ball of anxiety sitting in her stomach immediately unwound. Singing was not only Rachel's life and career, but most often her sole comfort. Singing out her emotions always relaxed her as she channeled all of her feelings into the song. The technical and mechanical issues of singing were always present in her mind, but she still allowed all of her emotions to take over and express themselves through song. She liked to believe that's why she could always feel _every_ song, no matter the lyrics.

_Without you_

_The seeds root_

_The flowers bloom_

_The children play_

_The stars gleam_

_The poets dream_

_The eagles fly_

_Without you_

This wasn't her favorite song from RENT, but it definitely expressed her feelings towards Jesse at the moment. Obviously 'Seasons of Love' was simply not going to work under the circumstances. Her and Jesse's relationship wasn't really all that close to Roger's and Mimi's, either, but it was the best she could do. None of the other songs that she looked at truly expressed her feelings towards Jesse like 'Without You.' It balanced her strong, 'Rachel Berry is a star!' side with her emotional desire to have Jesse with her, back at her side. Hopefully it was enough for him.

_The earth turns_

_The sun burns_

Now it was time to make eye contact with Jesse, let him know that the song was for him.

_But I die_

_Without you_

Success! Eye contact. There's no possibility now of his mistaking the song for anything else besides a truly sincere apology and how she desperately wants him back. Neither his eyes nor his facial expression tell her anything, however.

_Without you_

_The breeze warms_

_The girl smiles_

_The cloud moves_

_Without you_

_The tides change_

_The boys run_

_The oceans crash_

As her eyes looked around the room, she noticed others' facial expressions that didn't have as much acting talent and experience as Jesse did, so their expressions gave away their thoughts. Puck was completely bored and not paying attention. Quinn looked at her in scorn. Brittany seat was backwards and she looked at the wall while Santana did her nails. Mercedes looked encouraging, though, and so did Tina. They realized this song was for Jesse.

_The crowds roar_

_The days soar_

_The babies cry_

_Without you_

Finn's facial expression, however, wasn't encouraging in the least. Only if he closed his eyes (so he couldn't see her looking at Jesse) and ignored everything that she's ever told him since they had broken up, could he imagine that this song was for him. Since he apparently wasn't doing that, instead, he looked partly angry, partly determined, and partly sulky. She immediately looked back towards Jesse.

_The moon glows_

_The river flows_

_But I die_

_Without you_

Unfortunately for her, this song also happened to be a duet, so she needed someone else in on her plan. Kurt, she decided, was the best option. As she explained to him, helping her get back together with Jesse kept Finn available for Kurt. As she guessed, he accepted her logic though he thought her a bit crazy for giving up Finn in the first place.

**The world revives**

_Colors renew_

_**But I know blue**_

_**Only blue**_

_**Lonely blue**_

_Within me, blue_

As Kurt began singing and their voices blended together, she saw Jesse shoot a quick glance at him as he joined Rachel in the front. Of course, using Kurt in this piece was also beneficial because there was (obviously!) no romantic interest between Kurt and Rachel at all. There was absolutely no other guy that Jesse could see as neutral in this club except for Kurt when it came to competition with Rachel. Even Matt and Mike would have created negative vibes during this song.

_**Without you**_

_Without you_

_The hand gropes_

_The ear hears_

_The pulse beats_

**Without you**

**The eyes gaze**

**The legs walk**

**The lungs breathe**

Of course, using Kurt also came at a price. His voice didn't quite match the song. While Kurt could, without any question, hit the notes, it didn't quite sound right without the deeper undertone. Kurt almost refused due to this issue, saying it insulted the song and the greatness that was and is RENT, but Rachel convinced him otherwise. She said it only supported her reasoning for needing Jesse, because without him her duets just didn't sound right. The discord of her singing with anyone else should be simply too painful for him to listen to so they _had_ to reconcile. Of course, she said it a bit more tactfully so she didn't sound like she was insulting Kurt in the process.

**The mind churns **_(The mind churns)_

**The heart yearns **_(The heart yearns)_

_**The tears dry**_

_**Without you**_

_**Life goes on**_

_**But I'm gone**_

_**Cause I die**_

The song was going perfectly, despite the indifferent look on Mr. Schuester's face. Her only reason to be nervous that it wasn't going as well as she'd planned was the mask that was still present on Jesse's face.

**Without you**

_Without you_

**Without you**

_**Without you**_

The music ended and her fellow Glee members politely clapped for her (and Kurt she supposed). Kurt went back to his seat, Mercedes giving him words of excellence. Rachel didn't move, her eyes riveted to Jesse's. She was waiting for a sign, some signal that would send her rushing back into his arms.

She didn't receive one though. After a few seconds, Mr. Schuester came back to the front, telling her (and Kurt she supposed) words of praise for their excellent performance. She slowly made her way back to her seat, her heart falling with each step. His eyes, Jesse's eyes – she could tell that there was something there, she just didn't know what. Was it good? Was it bad? His face was still a blank mask, but his eyes…

If only she knew what his eyes were telling her.


	2. Gonna Be Me

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Glee or 'N SYNC.

* * *

"Excellent work, Rachel and Kurt," Mr. Schuester complimented as he came back to the front of the room. His movement cued Rachel to return to her seat, breaking the eye contact that she had with Jesse.

She didn't know what to feel at this point. Her song _had_ to have an impact on him. But why wouldn't he at least give her a sign as to what he was thinking? She needed an answer, whether her plan was a success or a failure. What were Jesse's eyes telling her that she couldn't get?

She noticed that Kurt was giving her a sympathetic glance, and she returned a small smile. He knew what she was feeling right now and seemed to care. Even if it was only so that she wouldn't go back to dating Finn, or so she wouldn't be emotionally unstable for Regionals, she didn't really care. He knew her situation and tried to help her, so she was thankful for whatever his motivations. Maybe he even did it for her, just because. Maybe they were even real friends now, despite his insults on her clothing.

Her gaze switched to the back of Jesse's head. It was a really good thing he sat in front of her. Otherwise, she'd be too obvious turning around to look at him during the whole rehearsal. But, if was sitting in front of him, would he be staring at the back of _her_ head? She could only hope….

"Okay, now moving on to – " Mr. Schuester said, attempting to actually begin the rehearsal practice. At least, he attempted, until he saw another hand raised in the air.

"Jesse?" Mr. Schuester said, surprised. Jesse didn't ever have much to say during Glee rehearsals, he preferred to simply sing everything perfectly to showcase his skills. Whether Jesse acted this way in Vocal Adrenaline practices, Will had no idea. Maybe Jesse realized that his comments wouldn't be accepted very well under the circumstances. Either way, this surprised him a heck of a lot more than Rachel's quest to sing her 'soul-exposing' song.

"Mr. Schuester, I realize I have a lot to make up for since I missed several days of practice during my vacation," Jesse responded politely. "I hate being behind," as if he could ever be behind any of them in skill (except for _maybe _Rachel), "so I took the liberty of creating a video over vacation that fulfills the assignment Rachel just mentioned."

She loved hearing her name from him. At least he still remembers her and even references her.

"I was hoping," Jesse continued, "that I could present it to everyone today to take care of the requirement." He held up the DVD that he had his video recorded on to prove himself.

Again, Mr. Schuester sighed. Another delay to practice, the video probably contained another 'Run, Joey, Run' reaction. This was one of those days that he absolutely hated high school drama. And now, he couldn't even deny Jesse the opportunity because he'd already allowed Rachel to sing. Actions around Jesse always had to be taken with care, since he had to be acutely aware of how it looked like he was treating him – absolutely no partiality despite his talent due to the Vocal Adrenaline connections. The only thing he could hope for is that Rachel won't have an emotional break down and storm out of practice or have Jesse, Finn, and Puck get into a fight over her. Unfortunately, both extreme scenarios seem incredibly likely.

"Alright, Jesse, go ahead," Mr. Schuester complied, once again taking a seat.

As Jesse set up the equipment to show the video, Rachel's anxiety grew. This video was most likely the response that she had been looking for, the response that he was telling her in his eyes. But this response came _before_ her song; he had already decided before she enacted her plan! _And_ to top it off, he probably did the video with his Vocal Adrenaline friends. What did _they_ tell him? What advice did they give him? Was it in her favor? Did they tell him to dump her? Did they tell him that he's crazy and should come back to where the true performers are at?

And how the heck did he know about the assignment anyway if he was all the way in San Diego?

"I admire your dedication, Jesse, but how did you know about the assignment?" Mr. Schuester asked Jesse as he adjusted the projector screen. Rachel was glad that Mr. Schuester asked, instead of her. She didn't feel like a conversation between her and Jesse would go over smoothly, at least on her end.

"Thankfully one of my fellow members of New Directions informed me," Jesse replied as he continued to arrange the equipment as needed.

Everyone turned to look at Rachel, who was sitting stiffly in her chair. Despite what everyone else thought, _she_ didn't tell Jesse about the assignment. They weren't exactly on speaking terms. However, she _did_ notice the quick glance Jesse sent in Quinn's direction as he moved the projector slightly to the right…

Oh. Well, it made sense, though she wasn't exactly happy about Quinn talking to Jesse. Like, she was actually a little bit angry that they were talking without her present. Quinn and Rachel just always seem to have this tension about boys between them… but if Quinn _also_ wanted Rachel away from Finn (just like Kurt) then Quinn would probably attempt to sway Jesse to forgive Rachel. She'd probably mentioned the assignment as an excellent way to let Rachel know, and since when could Jesse resist expressing himself through song?

Under the circumstances, she couldn't exactly complain about it. Rachel would probably do the same thing herself – if she went through a rough breakup with _her_ ex, she's probably push a prospective girl into another guy's arms too. Hopefully Quinn's help was assistive to her, anyway. If her hypothesis was wrong and Quinn was just trying to make her miserable, well, she might be screwed with her relationship with Jesse.

She'd rather take her logic and the fact that Quinn initiated a conversation about Jesse with her earlier at lunch today a good sign. Though it did make her wonder – what else did Quinn and Jesse talk about?

She glanced over at Mr. Schuester to see what he thought of Jesse's explanation; he looked smug. He's probably proud that one of his Glee kids is actually being nice to Jesse, rather than insulting him – even if everyone assumes it was just Rachel who did it. Well.

At least she'd be given an opportunity to listen to Jesse's amazing voice again, despite the outcome.

After a few more moments, everything was set up to Jesse's approval. Once the equipment was powered up, he popped the DVD in the drive. One of the band members dimmed the lights and Jesse pressed play. He made his way back to his seat where Rachel could watch him. Apparently, unlike what she did, he was just going to let the movie speak for itself.

It was the opening scene, and she could see Jesse standing with four other boys, who she assumed were Vocal Adrenaline members. They were standing in the road on some street in, most likely, San Diego. It wasn't a much trafficked road – there obviously weren't any cars in the street and only few people were seen walking around. Tall, somewhat rundown buildings were on both sides.

The five of them were only wearing jeans and a casual t-shirt, but they were standing in a certain formation. A few people were giving them odd looks, wondering what they were doing like that in the road, but they all looked comfortable. It was the performers in them.

Suddenly, from off-camera, comes music. Rachel's hearing picks out that it's simply a very loud boom box, or maybe blasting from a car stereo nearby. It definitely wasn't a live band. The quality wasn't exceptional, so it most likely was a boom box but the music was still relatively clear. And – wait…is that song what she thinks it is?

"Oh dear Madonna," Kurt moans, clearly recognizing the song. It was just like she thought: 'N SYNC

Rachel barely stopped herself from laughing, but gave a wide smile. She was _very_ glad Jesse wasn't looking at her right now. As soon as the Jesse in the video – clearly the lead of the 'band' – started signing, she instantly picked out the song.

_You might've been hurt, babe  
That ain't no lie  
You've seen them all come and go, oh._

'It's Gonna Be Me,' by 'N SYNC. Oh dear Broadway. She couldn't believe Jesse and a few of his Vocal Adrenaline friends were singing this song and – dare she say it - _dancing_ to this song. It was quite spectacular, because Jesse and Vocal Adrenaline were busting out those old boy band moves without any embarrassment and at all – and they looked _good_ (in Rachel's opinion, anyway).

_I remember you told me  
That it made you believe in  
No man, no cry  
Maybe that's why_

The others showed relatively shocked expressions. Who knew that Jesse St. James, talent extraordinaire, would belt out a boy band song? Kurt seemed especially horrified. She, however, thought it took incredible courage – and came out incredibly hot too.

She hadn't ever told anyone (_especially_ not Jesse) about her harbored crush for those old boy band songs. It was rather embarrassing, to say the least, especially after seeing Kurt's reactions. But she couldn't help it – they reminded her of when she was younger. Back then, there wasn't all this high school drama, everyone thought she was just cute instead of bossy, and dreams of Broadway didn't include tons of hard work. So, personally, she was adoring this entire video. Especially since this song, if it says what Jesse is intending to say, isn't even _close_ to 'we should break up forever.'

Every little thing I do  
Never seems enough for you

Ouch. That stung a bit. Of course, it only echoed some of the last words that he left her with before the impasse of their relationship. She remembered that he mentioned something about how he should be enough for her – that how other people's opinions of her shouldn't matter, because they had each other. Well, she believed he was right, and now, he was proving it to her by potentially embarrassing himself with singing an 'N SYNC song which definitely isn't a popular thing to do at the moment. Clearly he didn't care what others thought of him.

She had to give the other Vocal Adrenaline members credit though. When they joined Jesse in on the chorus, they sounded absolutely _amazing _together.

_You don't wanna lose it again  
But I'm not like them_

Oh man, hopefully Puck and Finn didn't get too angry about that remark. At least Jesse spoke the truth, though. He definitely _wasn't_ like either Puck of Finn. He was Jesse.

_Baby, when you finally,  
Get to love somebody  
Guess what,  
It's gonna be me..  
_

She couldn't stop beaming. This song was definitely for her. And the lyrics were totally Jesse, too. Yes, he's being arrogant, saying that she was definitely going to pick him over anyone else, especially Finn. She already did choose him though, as displayed by her song choice of 'Without You,' so she supposed he was right in his arrogance.

She could tell Finn was getting a bit upset while he listened to the song, and especially when he saw her smile. She didn't really care too much, though, as a Vocal Adrenaline member took over the verse.

_You've got no choice, babe  
I've got to move on, and you know  
There ain't no time to waste  
You're just too blind (too blind), to see  
But in the end, ya know it's gonna be me_

She _almost _laughed when Jesse jumped in front of the other Vocal Adrenaline member for the line 'it's gonna be me.' She certainly wasn't going for the other guy. He was talented, but not as talented as Jesse was. Only Jesse was going to tell her that he was the one.

_You can't deny  
So just tell me why_As the group rejoined for the chorus, she wondering about their dance moves on the street. Most of them looked like they came from the original 'N SYNC music video, but she wondered how many of the moves they made up. People were definitely staring at this singing and dancing group of boys, but they didn't seem to care. It helped that they were quite amazing. How long did it take them to practice? Every move was synchronized perfectly, she could hardly believe it.

_Every little thing I do  
Never seems enough for you  
You don't wanna lose it again  
But I'm not like them  
Baby, when you finally  
Get to love somebody (somebody)  
Guess what (guess what)  
It's gonna be me_

Jesse's control over himself was impressive – he didn't turn around to see her reaction at all. Of course, maybe he already knew what she'd say, due to her song. Rachel's eyes widened. He'd already forgiven her before her song for him. He had decided when he was out in San Diego, when he decided this song for his video. Her plan was basically pointless, then, since he'd already forgiven her. Oh well, she was still glad she'd done it; besides, it was a great performance anyway (except that Jesse should've been singing with her instead of Kurt).

_It's gonna be me  
Oh yeahhhhh..._Suddenly the music slowed down, and they practically froze in position, except for Jesse who continued to sing.

_There comes a day  
When I'll be the one, you'll see..  
It's gonna-gonna-gonna-gonna-gonna_

It's gonna be me

Jesse simply belted out that last part out, and Rachel was sure that she was absolutely in love with Jesse. What line did Finn give her? Oh yeah, 'When are you going to realize that he's not into you like I am?' Right. She'd like to see _Finn _be brave enough to rock out a boy band song in the middle of the street for her. As if. 

All that I do  
Is not enough for you  
Don't wanna lose it  
But I'm not like that  
When finally (finally)  
You get to love  
Guess what (guess what)

They didn't just simply dance in the street, either, apparently. The video flashed a few shots were the boys were doing a few moves in an alley, in front of a shop, and a few other random places. How long did they spend on this? How long did Jesse take to do all this for her?

There wasn't a question in her mind that this video was entirely for her and not for Mr. Schuester's assignment at all. Jesse could probably have gotten away without doing the assignment, just like Rachel could have. She and Jesse definitely didn't have any issues expressing themselves in front of an audience, after all. He probably just wanted to show Finn and Puck (okay, so probably just Finn since Puck doesn't really care) that, to quote the song, 'it's gonna be him.'

_Every little thing I do  
Never seems enough for you (for you babe)  
You don't wanna lose it again (don't wanna lose it)  
But I'm not like them  
Baby, when you finally  
Get to love somebody (love..)  
Guess what (guess what)  
It's gonna be me  
_

Mr. Schuester looked impressed. Very amused, but also impressed. These guys from Vocal Adrenaline were quite good. Their voices blended exceptionally well, with Jesse of course always shining through, and their choreography, while ridiculous at times, was incredibly precise. If this was how well of a performance Jesse and a few of the Vocal Adrenaline guys could put together for a video in just a few days, New Directions definitely needed to get serious on a performance to beat the entire Vocal Adrenaline team.

_Every little thing I do (ohh...)  
Never seems enough for you  
You don't wanna lose it again (don't wanna lose it)  
But I'm not like them  
Baby, when you finally (baby when you finally)  
Get to love somebody  
Guess what (guess what)_

It's gonna be me.

The last scene ended with Jesse saying 'It's gonna be me' with all the other guys thrown down on the road. Jesse was the only one left standing as the music ended and the video cut out.

Everyone politely clapped (okay, so maybe she was very enthusiastically clapping to make up for Finn's lack of) as another band member restored the lights. Jesse went to reclaim his DVD and put the equipment away.

Rachel couldn't help it, but she felt like swooning. The song was for her, and it was from Jesse. The song just _was_ him. It showcased his talent, his arrogance, and his upbeat personality. Of course she was going to pick Jesse – why the heck wouldn't she?

"Good job, Jesse. I'm surprised you and some of your friends spent some of your break putting that together," Mr. Schuester complimented as he took command of the club again to hopefully start rehearsing. Perhaps it was a good thing that Jesse and his friends put together that video – it gave Will a sense of urgency to perfect some routines after seeing just a bit of Vocal Adrenaline's talent.

He also hoped that this video ended some of the drama that was going on between Rachel and some of the guys. He did feel a bit sympathetic for Finn, though. His version of 'Jessie's Girl,' while quite excellently done, clearly didn't impress Rachel as much as Jesse's video of an 'N SYNC music video.

"Couldn't you have chosen _any_ other selection? Anything but that?" Kurt moaned, clearly scarred after sitting through a boy band song _and_ dance.

Jesse only gave him a smile; he definitely wasn't going to apologize for picking that song. Rachel felt the need to reply for him, since they clearly were once again an item.

"That song is a classic, Kurt, and while I know that it isn't a style you appreciate, some of us immensely enjoyed the selection," she said brightly, with a wide smile. It garnered an eye roll from Kurt and a glare from Finn. Clearly, Finn didn't appreciate the song selection any more than Kurt did. Probably had something more to do with the song's content and meaning rather than the genre, though.

Jesse didn't respond to her comment, but she still felt that he appreciated her effort. This was proven true as when finished putting the equipment back in the corner, he sat down beside her rather than taking his previous seat.

"Did you want a copy?" Jesse softly asked her, holding out the DVD in the case.

Her breath caught in her throat. After so many days of worrying, after so many days of heartbreak, Jesse had forgiven her. He had forgiven her! He created a video with his Vocal Adrenaline friends using a boy band song (that happened to be one of her old favorites) in the streets of San Diego surrounded by people to show her that he had forgiven her. That she should choose him.

And now he was offering her a copy of his performance. Wow.

"I would love one," Rachel said with a large smile when she could finally speak.

As she took the video and practically cradled it to her chest, she was rewarded with a smile from Jesse that she hadn't seen in what felt like years. Finally, she could only think, finally the heartbreak is over.

Mr. Schuester attempted to make progress during the rest of rehearsal, and for some people maybe he did. Rachel wouldn't know, because she was in a haze of bliss from what had happened earlier that practice. She could only concentrate on Jesse, with the occasional glare from Finn interrupting her focus. Fortunately, Mr. Schuester didn't press the issue and just left her alone to daydream. She still sang, of course, so he couldn't _really_ fault her. Even when she wasn't concentrating she still sounded great.

At the end of rehearsal, none of her giddiness had died down. She couldn't wait to talk things over with Jesse, now that she already knew the outcome. Now that she knew that he had forgiven her. She wanted to be with him again, to hang out and chat. She wanted to hear all about his trip to San Diego and his friends from Vocal Adrenaline (after all, clearly they were on her side!). She wanted to tell him how much she missed him, and about her episode of when she almost thought she wouldn't be able to sing anymore.

She was still debating about whether to tell him about Finn singing 'Jessie's Girl' when he was gone. She wasn't sure how he'd react to that…

Jesse walked over to her after ending a conversation with Mercedes where she was telling him that he was great, the video was epic, but to never do that again. Ever. Jesse picked up his bag and put one arm around her waist, and Rachel decided she couldn't any happier (unless they both starred opposite lead roles in a Broadway musical, of course).

"Want to go grab dinner?" Jesse asked her as she smiled up at him.

"Definitely," Rachel answered. As soon as she got home, she _must _remember to send Quinn an anonymous thank you card. Kurt too, she supposed, though she could probably sign his. She couldn't thank them enough for helping her out with getting Jesse back.

They walked out the choir room together before Jesse stopped them. Finn was there leaning up against the lockers talking to Artie, but was also glaring at Jesse while giving Rachel a beseeching look.

Jesse removed his arm from around Rachel, which she reluctantly allowed. He walked a few steps towards Finn, before stopping. Finn turned all his attention to him, Artie looking slightly nervous about being a potential witness. Rachel didn't want a confrontation, but it probably needed to happen; she could only hope it didn't turn violent.

"So Finn," Jesse started, "I heard about your charade with the song 'Jessie's Girl' while I was absent."

Rachel was surprised. Apparently, Quinn told Jesse more than just that they had an assignment. What did he think when he heard that? How did he think she reacted? Her face turned a little red, hoping he didn't think at the time that she was truly the slut she desperately wanted to portray in her own video. Finn's song had made her uncomfortable, not excited, especially since he made the entire situation quite awkward for her and she didn't appreciate it.

She could feel the tension in the hallway escalate rapidly…she assumed there was a reason that Finn sang that song when Jesse was absent. Most likely, he hoped that Jesse would never find out. It was a bit funny (with the unique sense of humor she has) to Rachel that Quinn was the one who ratted Finn out – most likely to encourage envious feelings in Jesse so that he'd act quickly to take Rachel back. Hopefully Quinn's choice to inform Jesse about 'Jessie's Girl' doesn't have violent consequences that Rachel was about to witness…

"What of it?" Finn confidently replied, though to Rachel's observant eye, appeared a bit nervous. But, while Jesse may have more talent than he does, Finn's a football player and isn't afraid to throw punches, Rachel thought nervously.

"Just a warning between _friends_," Jesse said with a confident smile, while also probably mocking Finn's song when at the start it says 'Jessie is a friend…,' "don't try it again. Like I said before, 'it's gonna be me.'"

"We'll see," Finn said, holding Jesse's gaze before looking at Rachel.

"Come on, Jesse, let's go," Rachel said quietly, pulling on her once-again-boyfriend's arm. She didn't enjoy hurting Finn, but he needed to know that she's chosen Jesse. Jesse was always there for her (with the exception of the past few days, of course, but that's mostly her fault), and Finn was simply wrong. Jesse is into her just like Finn is. Actually, Jesse is probably _more_ into her than Finn is. After all, you have to have pretty strong feelings for someone to start dancing and singing an 'N SYNC song in the middle of a San Diego road, especially if you have to convince four other friends to do it with you.

She needed to get Jesse out of here before anything turned violent. Neither of the boys was very happy with each other at the moment and the tension was only going to escalate. And while Rachel definitely enjoyed a good 'boys-fighting-over-the-star' scene in movies, she didn't quite want to see a reenactment right now. However, she made sure not to make the critical mistake seen on screen – her face was a mask of indifference to Finn and concern to Jesse. There's no way she was apologizing to Finn for Jesse's actions (a small part of her did enjoy them, after all), and she made doubly sure her eyes lacked all signs of sympathy or apology when looking in Finn's direction.

Jesse wrapped his arm around her waist again, still confidently staring Finn down. "You're right, Rach, let's go," he said. He dropped a quick kiss on her head, gave a quick gloating look to Finn, before they turned to walk out of the school.

"Maybe you should just waive the white flag," Artie recommended to Finn as they both stood there, watching the couple walk away.

"Together they do really work it," Mercedes commented as she walked out the choir room.

Rachel couldn't hear Finn's response, if he did respond, because right at that moment Jesse leaned down to kiss her.


End file.
